A record crowd, on September 8, 2007, attended the 56th Annual Fall
Meet of the Fairfield County Region Horseless Carriage Club of America in a
joint meet with the Antique Automobile Club of America, held on the grounds of
the historic Lonetown Farm for the seventh year. The Redding Historical
Society, which hosted the event and was the beneficiary of the $8 adult
admission fee, was hoping to attract more than 400 paid attendees; the count
for the sunny afternoon was nearly 500.
"We were extremely pleased with the turnout," said David Reed, club
president and Redding resident. Both he and Janice Dimon, society president,
think the mesh of similar interests has benefited both clubs.
To expand that alliance and enable the members of the two groups to get
to know each other better, a preshow cocktail party was held at the Seventy
Acre carriage house of Bill King, a club member, on Friday evening. About 100
people attended, while a gorgeous array of antique and classic autos lined the
driveway and lawn.
Based on the success of the evening, Mr. Reed, Mr. King and Ms. Dimon
said the event will likely be repeated next year, but as a fund-raiser open to
the public.
"The cocktail party sparkled; it is something I have wanted to do for
several years, and I enjoy working with Dave and Bill," Ms. Dimon said.
The event was coordinated by Redding Historical Society Secretary
Colleen McLeod and Caroline Glidden of the car club. Ms. McLeod also prepared most
of the food.
Gwen Ackley winds up this 1907 Victor Victrola. -Scott Mullin photo.
The star of both the cocktail party and antique auto show was undoubtedly Dick
Shappy's recently restored 1934 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan, which was
being shown for only the second time. It debuted in the Rhode Island Concours
d'Elegance over Memorial Day weekend. In discussing the car at the cocktail
party show, he said, "This was an official barn find - it had been unrestored,
unmolested for more than 50 years. There are always stories about some 'lost
Duesenberg' out there, but this was the real deal."
The vehicle was not unknown to classic car enthusiasts, but its late
owner, Philip Cade, would not let anyone see it. Mr. Shappy, of Warwick, R.I.,
has been collecting and restoring classic and antique autos for 37 years; he is
partial to Cadillacs and because of his collection of cars and spare parts, is
known in collecting circles as the Cadillac King. Of learning about Margaret
Cade's decision to sell the Duesenberg, Mr. Shappy said, "I was in the right
place at the right time."
But just how much road has the Duesenberg seen since its restoration?
Mr. Shappy and Greg McDermott, one of of his mechanics who accompanied him to
Redding, looked at each other and laughed. "Probably about 4,000 feet," said
Mr. Shappy. Although he intends to drive it, "at this point," he said, "we
don't even know how it handles; it hasn't been test driven yet." The original
thought was to drive the car from Bill King's home to the Saturday show, "but
when we saw these roads, and being uncertain about the brakes, we didn't think
it would be a good idea."
Another guest at the party was Sharon Sahz of Litchfield, who arrived
in her brand-new, at least to her, bright yellow 1960 Morgan +4 - the same kind
of vehicle Susan St. James drove in McMillan & Wife. She got it Tuesday,
registered it Wednesday and drove it to breakfast on Thursday. It was too new
for the show, she said, which was limited to vehicles made before 1942, "but a
lot of fun to drive."
Among the vehicles owned by Redding residents seen at the show was Mr.
Reed's 1906 Orion Buckboard, Lauren McCready's 1935 Chevy sedan, Violet-Ray
Sanford's 1926 Mack Bulldog fire truck, and the Tomko family's 1909 Buick Model
10 Tourabout and 1912 Buick touring car.
